Stagecoach East Scotland

[robertclark125]

Major disruption to buses between Lochgelly and Ballingry yesterday. Due to a fatal road accident involving a car, which hit the railway bridge at Lochgelly, the road between the north end of Lochgelly and Glencraig was cut off, and the nearest alternative route is thorugh Cardenden, and the Westfield road to Ballingry, a diverson of a good few miles.

As a result routes 19, 20A, 30 and 34 were all badly affected, and I wonder if route 20A actually ran yesterday. I don't even know if route 30 was even able to serve Glencraig at all.

The accident occured at 09:15. The road was reopened 12 hours later.

 

[Jamester]

Looks like St.Andrews have acquired a trident, but not one of the ex-London ones. I saw 18010 (53 plate) parked there today.

 

[tbtc]

I don't think the low floor thing is such a big issue

I do like the way that Stagecoach timetables in eastern Scotland clearly show the "high floor" journeys in orange - thats very good customer service (they may do elsewhere too, but the timetables round this part of the world are PTE produced)

 

[Blindtraveler]

very helpfull. Now to get traveline to highlight this also!

 

[robertclark125]

Major disruption to buses between Lochgelly and Ballingry yesterday. Due to a fatal road accident involving a car, which hit the railway bridge at Lochgelly, the road between the north end of Lochgelly and Glencraig was cut off, and the nearest alternative route is thorugh Cardenden, and the Westfield road to Ballingry, a diverson of a good few miles.

As a result routes 19, 20A, 30 and 34 were all badly affected, and I wonder if route 20A actually ran yesterday. I don't even know if route 30 was even able to serve Glencraig at all.

The accident occured at 09:15. The road was reopened 12 hours later.

Slightly off topic, but as a result of this accident, the road closure resulted in the access road and ramp to Lochgelly railway station being closed as well. Passengers for Lochgelly had to alight at either Cowdenbeath or Cardenden and seek alternative transport.

18010 is an ex strathtay Trident, made surplus when Forfar depot got the 6 new E400s recently!

 

[Jamester]

I do like the way that Stagecoach timetables in eastern Scotland clearly show the "high floor" journeys in orange - thats very good customer service (they may do elsewhere too, but the timetables round this part of the world are PTE produced)

I would be surprised if there is a single day (excluding Sundays) when all journeys that are advertised as low floor are actually operated by low floor vehicles. In theory there should be enough vehicles in the fleet to cover but invariably due to breakdowns, buses covering for coaches etc. it is not possible. It is usually service 8 in Fife which is sacrificed first.

 

[tbtc]

I would be surprised if there is a single day (excluding Sundays) when all journeys that are advertised as low floor are actually operated by low floor vehicles. In theory there should be enough vehicles in the fleet to cover but invariably due to breakdowns, buses covering for coaches etc. it is not possible. It is usually service 8 in Fife which is sacrificed first

True, but at least it gives me an idea whether I should turn up with my pushchair. its something I wish other operators did...

 

[robertclark125]

Watch carefully, with the news that Kinross Sunday Market is to close end of this month, unless a new site can be found, or Scottish Motor Auctions do a U-turn. Although no special buses have run from Fife for years, there was a regular turn from Perth, which may then be axed.
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Noted today in Cardenden, while waiting on mum coming out the surgery, a Dennis Trident (didn't get the number), and the legal lettering also has the telephone number for Stagecoach Fife head office. Never seen this before on any other fleet. Is this a new policy?
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Just confirmed elsewhere, with the demise of Premier Travel, Kirkcaldy, Rennies have now got the contract to provide the team bus for Dunfermline Athletic FC.

 

[KendalKing]

Just confirmed elsewhere, with the demise of Premier Travel, Kirkcaldy, Rennies have now got the contract to provide the team bus for Dunfermline Athletic FC.

Any news on which coach will be used ?

 

[mbonwick]

All of East Scotland's depots looked to be chipping in with vehicles for the Leuchars Airshow on Saturday.

A lot of Olympians in use (both fleeted and reserve), reserve B10Ms, MAN ALX300s. Pretty sure I noted all the B7TLs in use as well.

 

[robertclark125]

Any news on which coach will be used ?

No actual word on what is being used. That said, Rennies has a B12M and a few B7Rs, so any of these could be used. I doubt there will be a specific vehicle.

 

[317 forever]

When I go to Glasgow at the end of September, I am hoping to ride a modern coach. I know there are routes to Dunfermline and Glenrothes for example. I wonder whether any of these use coaches less than about 5 years old?

 

[Jamester]

When I go to Glasgow at the end of September, I am hoping to ride a modern coach. I know there are routes to Dunfermline and Glenrothes for example. I wonder whether any of these use coaches less than about 5 years old?

You will most likely get a Volvo B7 06 or 56 plate.

 

[317 forever]

You will most likely get a Volvo B7 06 or 56 plate.

Thanks for this info. Having not been to Glasgow since May 2006 these may well be more modern than coaches I last saw in the area!

 

[robertclark125]

And if Fife is successful, there could be a few new coaches in 2012......

 

[Blindtraveler]

to replace the b7s? What are they after I wonder?

 

[mbonwick]

B9Rs or B13Rs I would expect. I believe the B7s are shagged out after being worked hard. Their spec isn't really suited to the routes either I don't think.

 

[Blindtraveler]

from experience this would appear to be the case. Nice vehicles but they are used intensively. whatever they get I think door reliabilitty is a major factor and has also caused trubble on a lot of panthers introduced both by SC and others incl parks. How have the b7 coaches lasted elsewhere?

 

[Jamester]

I personally think it's the way they are driven. Timings are so tight on the Edinburgh services that the coaches are being hammered and they're just not up to it.

I did hear that Volvo advised Stagecoach on a particular type of coach ideally suited for the service work they do. But they decided on the cheapest option instead. Don't know how much truth there is in that, though.

 

[Blindtraveler]

gotta agree with you there. Wil be intresting to see what happens next year. Thoughts anyone on how the fleat could be made more appropriate?

 

[robertclark125]

Noted a Long wheelbase Volvo Olympian on a 19 group working today. This is unusual, as Cowdenbeath are not supposed to use step entrance vehicles on the 19 at weekends. This is due to the influx of X reg Dennit Tridents, allowing spare vehicles at weekends, when the MAN 18.240s require serviceing.

On another note, the MAN 18.240s at Cowdenbeath are losing their vinyl pictures of people holding the number 19. Instead, a small route branding sticker is being applied to rear windows, and the back windows at the side. Ad frames are also being installed.

The pictures had a tendancy to peel as they went through the Kaercher wash at Cowdenbeath depot! Also, repanelling a bus, as had to happen to one example, meant issues with the photos.
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22406 has lost its 1909-2009 tramways livery, and is back in corporate swoops. Was reported today by the Dundee Area Bus Forum as also working route 99, which is st Andrews to Dundee. So therefore, it has been returned to its original depot, and 22881 is back at Cowdenbeath.

I couldn't understand the idea of swapping 22406 and 22881 in the first place; Cowdenbeath has two MAN 18.220s of 2006 vintage anyway, which mainly work route 56, so such a move was weird in my eyes.

And thanks to MBonwick, with the latest fleetcard, I can confirm that there are just 23 Volvo B10m PS single deckers left at East Scotland. They are at main depots as follows,

Aberhill - 20339
Arbroath - 20148 20332 20964
Blairgowrie - 20322
Cowdenbeath - 20331 20340
Dundee - 20147
Dunfermline - none
Glenrothes - 20330/4-8 = 6
Perth - 20150 20151 20154 20315 20341 20342 20916 20927
Rennies - none
St Andrews - 20149

 

[mbonwick]

With regards 22406/881, the swap is to consolidate the re-engined Cummins examples at one depot where possible.

 

[robertclark125]

With regards 22406/881, the swap is to consolidate the re-engined Cummins examples at one depot where possible.

Cheers for that. As I say, my point was that when it came to repainting a single deck in tramways colours, Cowdenbeath has two MAN 18.220s of 2006 vintage, and so one of them could've been done, instead of swapping a vehicle at St Andrews with a vehicle at Cowdenbeath.

One other point, 22406 mainly works the 99 group, I just wonder if it has route branding applied? I doubt it myself, the 2005 MAN 18.220s at Glenrothes lost route branding on repaint, so I imagine 22406 will not have TAYlink 99 branding applied, or in its case, reapplied.

 

[robertclark125]

Been confirmed that, surprisingly, 22406 has regained TAYlink 99 branding. I say surprising, as the 14 MANs received in 2005 to Glenrothes, for the 37 39 and X1 services between Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, are losing their "Make the connection" branding at repaint.

 

[robertclark125]

Tragic story that occured yesterday, when it appears a pedestrian walked across the concourse of the bus station, bus only area.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fi...es-in-accident-at-glenrothes-bus-station.html

A similar thing happened here in 2007.

 

[robertclark125]

gotta agree with you there. Wil be intresting to see what happens next year. Thoughts anyone on how the fleat could be made more appropriate?

Well it's this year, the five tri axle coaches have arrived at Glenrothes, and are sued on route X59.

Crieff outstation has clsoed, all vehicles now reporting directly from perth every day.

 

[Blindtraveler]

is this just an innitial 5 to see how they go? They cant be any worse can they. Have to giv these a go sometime!

 

[Jamester]

is this just an innitial 5 to see how they go? They cant be any worse can they. Have to giv these a go sometime!

Heard a rumour that one of them is back at Volvo already. Turbo is "broken" for want of a better expression!

 

[Blindtraveler]

o dear! that bodes well doesnt it? what
kind of interior spec have they got?

 

[robertclark125]

One of the recently transfered ex London Tridents arrived here with legal lettering for Midland Classic, Swadlincote, but didn't run with MC. Not sure what was going on. Alas, also don't know which trident it was.